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Kenya, 20 October 2026 - As Kenyans mark Mashujaa Day 2026, the United States (the U.S.) has told its citizens to reconsider travelling to the country, citing risks ranging from health, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, and traffic safety.
The Department of State renewed its Kenya travel advisory on 19 October 2026, raising it from Level 2 to Level 3 because of health risks.
This basically means it is a move from exercise caution to reconsider travel. Some areas however carry the highest warning Level 4.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a travel health notice for Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease in Kenya.
The advisory also warns that medical services are limited, often unavailable in rural areas, and that many facilities lack medicine and equipment.
"Except for a few private medical facilities based in the large urban centers with enhanced capability, many health issues may require medical evacuation at your own expense," the U.S. Embassy in Kenya warned.
The advisory comes against a backdrop of Kenya having confirmed at least eight Ebola cases, including one fatality. This is after the Ministry of Health on 18 October 2026 clarified that there was new Ebola case, after on the previous day it had confirmed four more infections of the Bundibugyo strain, three of them among health workers. The new cases bring the national total to eight, counting the first patient, who died.
The first patient had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where the is record outbreak of the Ebola disease in the eastern regions of the country. He traversed various towns of DRC via road and entered Kampala, Uganda, from where he booked a flight to Nairobi, Kenya's capital. The patient died on 5 October 2026.
For the U.S. citizens who may be planning to travel to Kenya, the Donald Trump administration has urged them to remain cautious as they may need medical evacuation at their own expense, and hospitals usually demand payment upfront.
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Four areas carry the Level 4 warning of Do Not Travel. In Nairobi neighbourhoods of Eastleigh and Kibera, the warning was issued over crime and kidnapping.
In Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Lamu, Tana River, except Tsavo National Park, Kilifi north of highway C103 and coastal areas north of Malindi, the U.S. has raised concerns over kidnapping and terrorism, with Al-Shabaab said to be active.
The U.S. has also warned its citizens over possible travel to West Pokot and western Turkana, over crime and armed bandits and parts of Marsabit and Turkana within 50 kilometres of the Ethiopian border over unrest and cross-border incursions.
Elsewhere, Washington warns that violent crime can occur at any time, including armed carjacking, mugging, home invasion, sexual assault and kidnapping for ransom.
Robberies are often carried out by people on motorcycles, and local police frequently cannot respond effectively.
On terrorism, the advisory says attacks come without warning and have targeted government buildings, tourist sites, transport hubs, hotels, markets, shopping malls and places of worship. Protests, which are common and can turn violent, are most frequent in Nairobi and western Kenya, according to the U.S. officials.
Road accidents are also a leading cause of injury and death among Americans, particularly on the two-lane Nairobi–Nakuru and Nairobi–Mombasa highways.
Washington raises Kenya’s travel advisory to Level 3, citing risks ranging from health, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, and traffic safety.